We from the non-profit association Lebende Samen - Living Seeds e.V. initiate research projects in the Mediterranean that aim at breeding nutricious and resistant organic plants for healthy yields. Our mission:

• revive many plant varieties that inspire all senses
• support extensive plant breeding and researching so that plants can meet environmental and climatic challenges
• create more transparency in value chains and provide information about seeds and organic and biodynamic plant breeding
• combine the diversity of seeds with the diversity of breeders, seed producers, and plants

To finance our organic and biodynamic plant breeding programmes, conduct training programmes, establish networks and joint studies with research institutes, farmers and seed companies, we raise funds from individuals, foundations, national governments, and from the European Commission.

The following words are written by our president Stefan Doeblin. It is his personal experience and the reason he is actively involved with the organic seed and organic plant breeding sector during the last years.

I have been buying organic food more than 30 years in organic shops. Only some years ago I realised that most of the organic food is not produced from organic seeds but from conventional seeds. I was shocked! Most of my friends did not know this either. For me, it was obvious how important seeds are for humanity, good and tasty food, physical and spiritual health, and food sovereignty. Therefore, I followed my instinct and decided to get involved with the sector. Together with the University of Brussels and two scientists from Athens and Cambridge, I organized a market study about organic seeds and plant breeding. After that, myself and an international team of experts founded the biodynamic and organic seed company Sementes Vivas in Portugal and Spain, which is meanwhile certified by Demeter. In 2016, me and my colleagues Andreas Biesantz, Susanna Küffer-Heer, Hubert Kögler and Patrik Neumann set up the non-profit association Lebende Samen - Living Seeds e.V.  Since then we have been mobilising our network and our friends from the biodynamic movement to support the gap of organic seed development. Our organic and biodynamic plant breeding is focused on the Mediterranean. It started in Portugal, then expanded to Spain and is now also active in Morocco.

I am very happy that I decided to get involved with organic and biodynamic plant breeding. I firmly believe that we need to take better care of our seeds and of our food, and that we need to act locally to make the world a better one. During the last years I learned a lot and I am looking forward to contributing to the further development of the organic seed value chain via my work.

Stefan Doeblin,
President of Lebende Samen - Living Seeds e.V.